This is a fixed term position for 12 months.

About the WAEC

Western Australia is a great place to live, work and deliver elections. And it is getting better as we transform the Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) into a contemporary leader in electoral service, modernising systems, strengthening capability and lifting the experience for voters and stakeholders.

Behind every well run election sits the policy thinking, funding and costing that make it possible. Right now, that work matters more than ever. As the Commission responds to the Special Inquiry into the 2025 State General Election, we are rethinking how elections are funded, costed and resourced for the future. This is where you come in.

At WAEC, we are guided by four values: Make it Count, Check Every Box, Focus on Fairness and Achieve Together. We are committed to recruiting people whose behaviours, leadership style and approach to public service align with these values, recognising that cultural contribution is as important as technical capability.

Join us in a role with genuine purpose, helping turn reform into practical, defensible advice and playing your part in something bigger: safeguarding trust in democracy.

The Opportunity
As Principal Policy Officer, you will support the Commission’s response to the Special Inquiry into the 2025 State General Election. Working in close partnership with the Department of Treasury and Finance, you will support the development of an activity-based costing model for State election delivery and a local government cost recovery model. It is high stakes, high visibility work that will shape how WA elections are funded for years to come.

The heart of the role is understanding what drives the cost of delivering elections. You will work closely with our operational and financial teams, returning officers, election delivery staff and subject matter experts  to investigate and clearly articulate the service standards, operational requirements and assumptions that shape the cost of electoral delivery. From polling place arrangements to printing, venues to staffing, you will help the Commission build a transparent and evidence-based picture of what it costs to deliver trusted elections.

You will translate that work into clear policy advice and decision-support materials — helping the Commission and the Department of Treasury and Finance understand the full cost of electoral delivery and the considerations that inform funding and service design decisions. You will prepare briefs, business cases, options analysis and implementation advice; document the assumptions, risks and dependencies that sit behind funding proposals; and engage with Treasury, central agencies, local government and other external stakeholders.

You will lead project management and governance of two concurrent work streams – tracking milestones, managing dependencies and coordinating working groups.

The role sits within the Special Inquiry Implementation function in the Office of the Commissioner and reports to the Program Director Special Inquiry. The role works closely with the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer in developing advice.

About You
You are a sharp, credible policy professional who is comfortable translating operational understanding into clear analysis and decision papers. You know that good policy advice on funding and costing starts with genuinely understanding the business.

You are financially literate; comfortable working with cost data, costing concepts and budget information and can engage credibly with the Department of Treasury and Finance.

You bring sound judgement and credibility to politically sensitive work and can hold your nerve when timeframes are fixed and the work is closely scrutinised.

Specific details of the role can be found in the Position Description attached to this advert.

Want to Know More?
For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, you are encouraged to contact Shai Harris, Principal Consultant, Shelby Consulting on 0409 914 207 or shai@shelbyconsulting.com.au.

How to Apply
To apply, please submit:

• A current resume (not more than four pages) outlining the skills, experience and capabilities you will bring to the role.
• A written statement of no more than four pages addressing the essential capabilities and experience listed under About You.

This process may be used to establish a pool from which other fixed term and casual appointments may be made over the next twelve months.

Select "Apply for Job" at the top or bottom of this advertisement to submit your application. Applications must be submitted online via jobs.wa.gov.au. 

Applications close 4.00pm (AWST), Friday 17 July 2026. Late applications will not be accepted.

Other Conditions and Eligibility
To be eligible for a permanent appointment to a position with the WAEC, it is essential that you have valid work rights in Australia.

The successful applicant will be required to sign a Declaration of Neutrality and a Declaration of Confidentiality, indicating that they have no active or official connection with any political party and will maintain the confidentiality necessary to ensure the integrity of the Commission.

Given the Commission’s role in safeguarding trust in democracy, the successful applicant will be required to complete pre employment checks appropriate to the role, which may include identity, work eligibility, and integrity or security clearance checks.

The work related requirements for the role will be assessed throughout the selection process. A variety of assessment methodologies may be used, including but not limited to screening questions, a written statement, a practical work sample, structured interviews and referee checks.